


Fragmented Spectrum

by SelanPike



Series: Moebean Saga [5]
Category: Super Mario Bros.
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-22
Updated: 2014-03-21
Packaged: 2018-01-16 13:46:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 17,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1349575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SelanPike/pseuds/SelanPike
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The magical field of the Koopa Kingdom is thrown out of balance, and Kamek fears it may be an omen of something terrible that might endanger the entire Mushroom World.</p><p>(Originally posted on FF.N in 2007.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was dark in Kamek's study, as it usually was. It was the normal routine: sit in front of the crystal ball, waving his hands over it and trying to coax some useful information out of the junk it usually brought up. He wasn't picky; the future of the Koopa clan, Mario's weaknesses, tomorrow's weather—he was happy with anything he could get, really.

There was a bright sparkle from within the ball, and Kamek took a deep breath. This looked important. Could it finally be something he could use? Something vital to King Bowser's plans to take over the Mushroom Kingdom? Could it be—

Another sparkle, and a flash. The ball began to shake. Kamek's eyes widened and he scrambled to grab a piece of paper and a quill pen. He started scribbling down magic circles and mumbling incantations as he looked up and down between his magic and the ball, hoping to see something in the trembling orb. This wasn't right. The crystal ball was overloading.

"This is an industrial-strength ball," Kamek mumbled to himself, wondering what was going on. A powerful magical field must have entered the area, but if it were normal background magic he'd be able to control and block it. So far he was having no such luck. At this rate, the ball would—

There was another, brighter flash, and Kamek ducked under his desk. With a shatter and a bang the ball exploded, showering the room with glass shards. Kamek poked his head back up, seeing a scorch mark and chunks of glass where his beloved crystal ball had once been, dimly illuminated by a few tongues of flame that had been left by the blast.

He scrambled back onto his feet, across the room, and out the door. He turned to run down the hall, and saw Kammy exiting her own study. The two Magikoopas ran to each other, and Kamek was about to tell her what had happened when he noticed the look on her face.

She was just going to tell him the same thing he wanted to tell her.

The two spoke something else instead, in unison:

"This is bad."


	2. Chapter 2

For the last few days, it was all Kamek could do not to scream.

Since the incident with his crystal ball, he and Kammy had been doing nothing but trying to get to the bottom of whatever it was that was going on. Of course, spending this much time with Kammy was enough to make Kamek want to retch, and it was made worse by the fact that the odd magical field wouldn't go away. Every crystal ball in the castle was in pieces, numerous magic talismans had burst into flames and casting any sort of spell took the utmost concentration in order not to backfire. Not to mention the fact that the imbalance between his body's innate magic and the magic around him was making him feel very much like a helium balloon at the bottom of the ocean.

And then there was this.

He and Kammy both found themselves standing before King Bowser, who had started to catch on to the crisis among the castle's magic-users. They had tried to hide it from him, they really had—after all, Bowser wasn't the patient type and they really didn't think his constant and inevitable demands that they tell him what was going on RIGHT NOW would help—but some things just couldn't be concealed.

"Would you two care to explain why  _none_  of my Magikoopas will tell me where my kids hid my diary?!" the Koopa King roared.

Kamek and Kammy glanced at each other.

"Er…," Kamek said.

"That is to say…," Kammy mumbled.

"Well?!" Bowser rumbled.

Kamek hesitated, then looked to Kammy. "Show him your crystal ball."

Kammy frowned, then waved her hand. A bag appeared before her, and she handed it to Bowser. Bowser emptied its contents onto the floor, making a pile of glass shards at his feet.

"You broke your crystal ball?" Bowser asked, "So what?"

Kamek produced a bag of his own and handed it to Bowser. "Here's mine."

"You too?" Bowser rolled his eyes, dropping the bag onto the remains of Kammy's ball. "So you're telling me that every Magikoopa has suddenly become really, really clumsy."

"No, your highness," Kamek said, "We can't work our crystal balls at all, they keep overloading and breaking. Something's wrong with the magical field here."

Kamek was sure that Bowser had no idea what that meant, and he was proven right when Bowser said simply, "So fix it."

"We can't, sire," Kammy said.

"We've been trying," Kamek told him.

"It's just not that simple," Kammy added.

"So how am I supposed to find my diary if you idiots can't use your magical whatsits for me?"

 _Discipline your children for once so they'll just_ tell _you?_  Said the little voice in Kamek's head. He sighed. "Look for it, I suppose?"

Bowser grunted, leaning back in his throne. He furrowed his brow, looking rather agitated. "So tell me, why can't my greatest wizards solve this problem, whatever it is?"

Kamek didn't know what to say, but Kammy spoke up instead.

"We'll figure it out soon, your highness," she assured him, completely dodging his real question. "We can assure you of that. Everything will be right as rain very soon."

"Right," Kamek nodded, "We can assure you that we've got every magic-user in the kingdom working on this around the clock. No problem is so difficult that we can't solve it."

Bowser huffed, unimpressed. He waved them away. "So get to it. Go."

Kamek and Kammy both bowed hurriedly and shuffled out of the throne room, breathing heavy sighs of relief as they exited. The two elder Magikoopas walked down the hall, heading toward their studies.

"We need to figure this out soon, Kamek," Kammy said.

"I know," Kamek replied.

"This can't be an omen of anything good," she said.

"I know," Kamek said again.

"I can't even think of anything that could possibly prevent us from controlling all this excess magic," Kammy said, adjusting her gaudy glasses. "Really, I don't see what's stopping us from using it to be even stronger, but—"

"No, I can think of something," Kamek said.

"Hm?"

"Something's  _already_  in control of this magic field," Kamek said. "And it doesn't want any sort of interference."

"If that were the case, this 'something' would have to have more magic in it than the entire world does," Kammy said, "Don't you think that's a bit far-fetched?"

"I don't know," Kamek glared at Kammy, "This whole situation's pretty weird, isn't it? Shouldn't we be considering anything, even the far-fetched solutions?"

Kammy shrugged.

Kamek paused. "You were there when the Shadow Queen was released, Kammy. So tell me, what sort of magic field did she emit?"

"Something very much like this one," Kammy said, "But she was defeated; I felt her magic field dissipate. This isn't her."

Kamek nodded. "Of course, of course."

The two stopped in front of the door to Kamek's study. Kamek put a hand on the doorknob.

"I don't know how we're supposed to face this. I can barely think straight."

"I've got a constant headache," Kammy agreed.

Kamek looked to the side, staring down the shadowy corridor. "Do me a favor, Kammy."

"What?"

"Find the Shadow Sirens, and tell Beldam to stop by."

"What'll you be doing while I'm doing that?" Kammy asked, crossing her arms.

"Making protection charms," Kamek said as he opened the door to his study, "As many of them as I can."

Kamek walked into his room and shut the door behind him. He felt uneasy, and it wasn't just because of the magic imbalance.

He took a few steps into the room.

He felt like he was being watched.

He looked around. There wasn't anyone else in the room. There were no windows, no way to see into the room, but he couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching his every move.

He snatched a piece of chalk from a nearby shelf and scrawled a protection circle onto his door.

He had the distinct feeling that he'd be needing it.


	3. Chapter 3

Kamek stood out in the castle courtyard, surrounded by three of his henchmen: a Koopa Troopa, a Magikoopa and a Toady.

"What all have you found?" Kamek asked them.

"Nothing particularly conspicuous," said the Koopa Troopa.

"A bit quiet out there, but otherwise I don't see any real problems," said the Toady.

Kamek looked to the Magikoopa, who looked troubled. "And you?"

"I went down to the volcanoes," he said.

"And?"

"It looked dark."

"Dark?" Kamek furrowed his brow. "What, darker than usual?"

The Magikoopa nodded. "I know there's the usual clouds over the place, but it was practically pitch black out there. Even the glow from the lava flows seemed really dim."

"Did you go in closer?"

"I was going to," he said, "But the magic field there was weirder than it is here. I thought it would be a bad idea to go alone."

Kamek nodded. "Understood." He looked around. "I thought I sent out a Boo, as well."

The three looked around as well.

"I haven't seen him," said the Koopa Troopa.

"Me either," said the Toady.

Kamek frowned. "Go look for him, all of you."

The three Koopas all saluted, then left.

Kamek turned on his heel, intending to go back inside, but when he turned he found someone standing where previously there had been no one.

Kamek yelled in surprise, and fell backwards. The person started to cackle.

Kamek groaned. "Beldam…"

Beldam continued to laugh.

"That isn't funny," Kamek said, getting back up.

"You ought to pay more attention," she said.

"Yeah, yeah," Kamek dusted off his robes. "I see you took your sweet time getting here."

"I didn't see any point in hurrying," she said. "What's in it for me?"

Kamek adjusted his glasses. He didn't have an answer for that, so he went straight to business. "I assume you know something about this whole mess."

"What makes you think that, I wonder? Mwee hee hee…"

"That cackle of yours gives it away," Kamek said. "You wouldn't be laughing so much if you didn't know something that I don't."

"I suppose you're right," she said, grinning. "So then I guess the real question is, how  _much_  do I know?"

Kamek nodded. "So…?"

"The answer, my dear Magikoopa, is  _everything_."

Kamek raised his eyebrows. There was no way… "Everything?"

She nodded, and cackled again. "It's a disturbance in the world of shadows, I'm afraid. Not the sort of thing that would get past my notice."

"So I was right, it  _is_  the Shadow Queen," Kamek said.

Beldam shook her head. "If only. Thanks to that meddling Mario, her Highness is nothing but a memory. Which, you see, is exactly the problem."

"Oh?"

Beldam nodded. "I don't suppose you've ever wondered how the Shadow Queen gained her powers?"

Kamek had, in fact. The Shadow Queen's powers weren't the sort one could gain on one's own, and he had always found it odd that she hadn't had any sort of mystical item or anything boosting her powers. "Go on."

"There is a being which resides in the center of the earth," Beldam explained, "It's the embodiment of all shadows, a leftover from the very creation of the universe. It could very easily consume the entire world and cover it in eternal shadow. It was supposed to sleep in the planet's core forever. The Shadow Queen stole some of its power—not all of it, but enough. Doing so woke it up, however, but her Highness was able to place a seal on it to keep it from escaping. But now she's gone, and it seems that the seal has finally broken."

Kamek blinked. "So why are you smiling?"

Beldam laughed. "This was her plan all along! If, by any unlikely chance she would be killed, she felt it would be best if the whole world would be destroyed with her. Mwee hee hee!"

"That's crazy!" Kamek yelled, "And you're okay with that?!"

"Of course. It was her will, after all," Beldam said, "It's already begun, now. Its current form is incorporeal… it can't take the entire world yet, it's still vulnerable to the forces of light. Instead, it will consume that which is already close to the darkness… that is, you and all the rest of the world's villains. It will absorb you all into itself, and then once it has built its army, it will snuff out every light in the world."

"And you're not just talking light itself, are you," Kamek said, "You're talking about," he paused, groaning internally at the thought that he was going to say this, "Goodness, hope—"

"And life itself," Beldam said. "Its only true weakness are those pure of heart—which is why it's targeting your lot, hee hee."

"We're not going to sit idly by and let that happen," Kamek said,

"Oh, and what will you do?" Beldam grinned, "I see you're wearing a protection amulet today. That may protect you for a little while, but how long do you think it will last?"

"I'm the greatest wizard in the world!" Kamek exclaimed, "I'll find a way to kill that thing, you just watch!"

Beldam shook her head, laughing, and dropped into her own shadow. Kamek frowned.

"Beldam!"

"Beware the shadows, Kamek," Beldam's voice came from her shadow on the ground, "Mwee hee hee…"

Beldam's shadow disappeared, leaving Kamek alone in the courtyard.

But only for a moment.

The Magikoopa he had sent out before came back, shooting into the courtyard on his broom at full speed before grinding to a halt before Kamek.

"Kamek! S-sir!"

Kamek turned to look at the Magikoopa. "Yes…?

"W-we, the three of us, we went to look for the Boo, as you ordered," the Magikoopa paused to catch his breath. "So we went to the nearest ghost house. We tried—we called out at the door, but no one came out. Our Boos usually come out when an ally calls, I thought—so the others, they went in to check things out—they told me to stay at the door, just in case. So—so they went in, and—and—"

"… And?"

"Th-they walked in and—it was dark, I couldn't see anything, but I… there was screaming. It was horrible, sir, horrible…"

Kamek crossed his arms. "And the magical field?"

"All wrong, sir," said the Magikoopa, "Just like at the volcano, just all wrong…"

Kamek chewed on his lip, furrowing his brow in thought.

The Magikoopa waited there for an order, but when he got none he spoke again. "Sir?"

"Get inside the castle. Tell the other Magikoopas to cover the entire castle in protection charms."

The Magikoopa saluted. "Y-yes, sir!"

He then got back on his broom and zipped into the castle, once again leaving Kamek alone.

Kamek looked back and forth at the shadows that the walls of the castle were casting on the ground.

He shook his head, walking back into the castle.

"There's got to be a way…"


	4. Chapter 4

Kamek sat on his broom over the ceiling of the castle, surveying the work all the Magikoopas had done.

The castle was draped in various forms of protection. Magic circles had been drawn everywhere, magic potions had been painted onto the walls, charms and amulets hung from every parapet and there were constant flashes of light as more and more spells were cast.

"Kamek!"

Kammy pulled herself up from the entrance that led back into the castle and stomped over toward Kamek.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

Kamek looked away. "I have something I need to take care of."

"You're going off to see that plant of yours, aren't you?" Kammy hissed, "In this crisis, you're abandoning your duties to—"

"I'm not abandoning anything," Kamek snapped, "Naval's all alone out there; I have to make sure she's okay. And might I remind you that it's in our best interests for this shadow thing to capture as few people as possible."

"It's just one Piranha Plant, Kamek, it's not that important."

"She's very important!" Kamek turned his head and glared at Kammy. "I'll only be gone for a day. I'll go get Naval and bring her back here. She'll make a good guard here anyway, don't you think?"

Kammy shook her head. "Listen to you, referring to a plant as a 'she'."

"She's a  _female_  plant, Kammy."

"You're losing it."

Kamek groaned. "Listen, I've done all I can here. We've turned this place into a magical fortress. If anything is powerful enough to get in, what else can I do that the rest of you can't? My presence isn't going to make any sort of difference and you  _know_  that."

Kammy pushed her glasses up. "Should I tell the others what's actually going on?"

"No," Kamek said, "Not yet. Not until we know what to do."

"Do you think that's a good idea?"

Kamek shrugged. "You know how people are. They're just going to panic if they realize how dire things really are."

Kammy nodded.

"Just make sure they keep putting up protection spells. And if anything attacks, light-based spells are the way to go," Kamek said. "And tell them to stay calm. I think optimism will probably make our spells stronger. That's usually how these things go."

"Alright," Kammy said, "Go on, then, find your plant. And be quick about it."

"Keep the castle safe while I'm gone," Kamek started to ascend. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm counting on you."

"Yeah, yeah," Kammy waved him away. "Get going."

Kamek shot off into the sky, an irate Kammy watching him as he went.

He flew over the Koopa Kingdom, looking down at the landscape as he made his way to his destination. Things definitely didn't look good. The volcanoes were entirely shrouded in shadow by now, just a dark blotch on the horizon. What made Kamek even uneasier was the fact that the volcanoes weren't the only dark blotch he could see; the entire landscape was dotted with smaller dark spots. They looked just like shadows, but there wasn't a cloud in the sky. There wasn't a single worldly thing that could cause a shadow like those.

Of course, he knew that this was no worldly force.

He raised his altitude and flew westward, following the sun.

The sun was setting as he arrived in the desert that Naval Piranha now called her home. It was oddly silent, even for this barren place.

 _It's the desert_ , he assured himself,  _A bright, searing desert. There's no way the shadows have gotten here yet._

He crossed over dune after dune, headed for the center of the desert, but when he got there his fears were realized: a dark shadow hung over the area.

Kamek didn't hesitate. He dove into the shadow, clutching his wand tightly in one hand.

"Naval!" he cried, unable to see in the darkness. He held his wand up and chanted, " _Hic locus aduro!_ "

His wand illuminated the place just in time for him to see a piranha bud coming at him. He dodged, and looked forward to see Naval Piranha, covered in some sort of darkness and surrounded by several odd, creepy-looking shadow-creatures.

Naval attacked again. Kamek dodged two vines and deflected a third before moving in closer.

" _Abet, umbrae!_ " he chanted, shooting a blast of light at the shadow-beings surrounding Naval, " _Abet,_ I said! Leave her alone!"

The shadows started to rush toward Kamek, but dissipated into the background when he shot another light at them. To Kamek's dismay, though, Naval's condition didn't change and she continued to whip her vines at him.

"Naval!" he cried, dodging her attacks, "It's me! Kamek! Come on, you've got to recognize me!"

He used his magic to slice off the next two vines she shot at him. He felt bad for hurting her, but he knew she could grow them back. He went on the offensive, shooting magic shapes at her that encircled her vines and pinned them to the ground. He continued doing this, pinning down vine after vine, stalk after stalk, until Naval had been entirely restrained. He then hopped off of his broom and onto her main bud, holding it down to prevent her from opening her mouth.

"You've got to still be in there, Naval," he said. Still holding her head down with one hand, he pulled out his wand. "You've got to fight this," he waved his wand, casting a purification spell. " _Atrum phasma expello!_ "

There was a flash as the spell activated, but when the light died down there was no change in Naval. He tried it again and again, more and more desperately, but to no avail. The darkness didn't go away. She continued to fight against her restraints.

"Come on, Naval…," Kamek said, clenching his fists against her head. "There has to be some way I can bring you back. Can you hear me? Can't you fight this?"

Naval responded by finally breaking her bonds, jerking her head back up and sending Kamek flying. His broom followed him and he grabbed it, pulling himself up onto it. He flew away to a safe distance and stayed there for a while, watching as Naval writhed and raged, trying in vain to get at him.

He put his wand away.

"I'll fix this," he mumbled, "I promise. I'll get rid of this shadow thing and bring you back."

With that, he turned away and flew back the way he had come.


	5. Chapter 5

Kamek was exhausted. He hadn't slept since leaving the castle; after finding Naval in the hands of the shadows, all he wanted to do was to get back to Bowser's Castle, and he wasn't going to slow himself down by stopping to sleep. He wanted to shut himself in his study and do nothing but work, work, work until he could figure out what to do and how to save Naval and stop those shadows from spreading even further.

He was flying at low altitude, only a few feet above the ground, for fear he might fall asleep and fall. He smiled upon seeing Vista hill in the distance—he was finally home. He started to ascend the hill.

His jaw dropped when he finally got to the top.

"No," he said. "No, no, no, no,  _no!_ "

The castle was draped in a swirling vortex of shadows.

 _There's still a chance,_  Kamek thought to himself,  _It's not completely black yet. There's still hope._

He flew to the castle with all speed, entering through a window in one of the lighter areas of the fortress. He shot down the hall, speeding by various writhing shadow forms, until he found a group of Magikoopas, huddled together in a circle and shining their glowing wands at any shadows that came near.

"Kamek!" Cried one Magikoopa at the sight of him, "Are we glad to see you!"

"Not as glad as I am," Kamek said, shooting a blast of light down the hall at a shadow that had started rushing toward them. "Where's everyone else?"

"Everyone else?" asked a Magikoopa at the other end of the circle, "What, like the other wizards, or—"

" _Everyone_  else," Kamek said, bobbing on his broom, "And King Bowser. Especially King Bowser."

"How are we supposed to know?" another Magikoopa snapped, "We've been trapped here the whole time! Every time we try to move, something comes at us from behind!"

Kamek looked around. He was right; they were surrounded. Every time one shadow got taken down, another would just pull itself out of the darkness to take its place.

"I'll cover you guys," Kamek said, "Get out of here."

"Where are we supposed to go?" yet another Magikoopa asked.

Kamek blasted another shadow and tried to think. "The hangars," he said finally. "It looked pretty light from the outside, I don't think anyone was manning the place today so the shadows didn't bother with it. Go hide there and keep the area secure, okay? I'll go find everyone else and send them over."

The group of Magikoopas all nodded and saluted.

Kamek waved a hand and a bottle appeared in it. He shook the bottle, causing its contents to bubble, and he threw it at the floor before him. The bottle shattered, and the liquid inside flashed into a blinding light.

"Go, go!" Kamek yelled, "And ready the airships!"

The group dashed through the hallway as the light from the bottle slowly died down. Kamek followed them part of the way, to make sure they got to their destination. Once he was sure they had everything under control, he went down another corridor, looking for the throne room.

He came across another group of Koopas, this one a mixed group of Magikoopas, Koopa Troopas, and various others running down the hall.

"Have you guys seen anyone else?" Kamek asked them as he approached.

"Sir Kamek!" said a Hammer Bro., who seemed to be the leader of the group, "What in the name of King Bowser is goin' on?!"

"I'll explain later," Kamek said, "So have you—"

"Explain now!" the Hammer Bro. argued. "The whole castle is pitch black, there's all these weird black things grabbin' people and draggin' 'em into the shadows, just about everyone we come across has lost their minds 'n are attacking us and we'd darn well like to know why!"

"I said I'd explain  _later!_ " Kamek shouted, "We don't have time for this! Do you want to know now, or do you want to get out of here alive and safe?!"

The group shut up, looking at each other before finally looking back at Kamek.

"That's what I thought," Kamek huffed. "Now. Stay close to me, we've got to find King Bowser."

Kamek continued flying down the hall, now slower so that the group could follow him. It wasn't long before they arrived at the large red double-doors leading into the throne room.

Kamek hesitated, his hand on the door.

"What're you waitin' for?" the Hammer Bro. asked.

"Just… preparing myself, is all."

"For what?"

"What might be in here," Kamek took a deep breath. "Okay."

Kamek threw open the doors to find a pitch-black room. He held his wand out, trying to illuminate the room and make something out.

There was a dull glow in the darkness, and Kamek squinted to see what it was before ducking out of the way, shouting at his companions to do the same. A plume of fire shot out from the room and against the wall behind them, narrowly missing Kamek and his group.

"What was that?!" cried one of the Koopa Troopas.

"Run!" Kamek ordered.

"It was King Bowser, wasn't it?!" said another Koopa.

"Has he lost it, too?!"

"Kamek, what's going on?!"

"Bowser's under their control now," Kamek said, looking in the room to see the hulking figure of his king stomping toward them. He could see the outline of several shadows trailing behind him. "We can't fight him; run! This way!"

Kamek led them down the hall again, looking back constantly to see if Bowser was following; luckily, he seemed to have stopped and returned back into the throne room. He sighed in relief.

"We have to find the Koopalings!" cried one of the others. "They could be in trouble!"

"Right!" Kamek said.

He stopped at a fork in the hallway. The darkness and his lack of sleep was making it harder for him to remember where to go.

"This way!" a Koopa said, running down the left corridor. Kamek, relieved, followed, as did the rest of the group.

The Koopalings' room wasn't far away, and it wasn't long before the group reached it. Kamek kicked open the door, not even waiting to look around before shooting beams of light through the room.

The light scared away a horde of shadows, but left seven Koopalings—all surrounded by a dark aura, just as Naval had been, and—

—Wait. Seven Koopalings?

"Kameeeek!"

Kamek looked up to see the eighth Koopaling, Bowser Jr., clinging to a light fixture high above the room. Kamek wasn't sure how he had gotten up there, but regardless was happy to see at least one of Bowser's children was safe.

"Kamek!" the young prince cried again, "Heeeelp!"

"I'm coming!" Kamek said. He looked to his companions. "Hold the other Koopalings off."

Kamek flew up to the top of the room where Junior was hanging, as the rest of the Magikoopas in the group cast barriers to prevent the possessed Koopalings from attacking them.

"You okay, kid?" Kamek asked as he floated beside Junior.

Bowser Jr. sniffled and nodded. "Somethin's wrong with the others."

"I know. We're getting out of here, okay? Get on the broom and hold on tight."

Kamek helped Junior onto the broom and the two of them floated back down to the group who, once reunited with Kamek and their prince, booked it out of there as quickly as they could.

"We need to get to the hangars," Kamek told the rest of the group, "There's a group of Magikoopas getting some airships ready, and—"

Kamek stopped dead as he saw something moving ahead of him. The rest of the group stopped as well, straining to see what it was.

"Kamek, sir," a Koopa said, "What is it?"

Kamek shone a light in the direction. "It's… Kammy?"

Sure enough, Kammy Koopa was rushing in their direction, surrounded by a dark aura. Kamek frowned.

"Kammy, we really don't have time for this!" he said. "So if there's any bit of sense left in your head, please tell whatever's controlling you to just leave us alone, okay?"

She shot a blast of various magical shapes at Kamek, which was deflected by another Magikoopa standing nearby. Kamek shot a spell of his own, knocking Kammy to the floor, and he followed it up by casting a spell to keep her bound to the floor.

"Everyone, go!" Kamek yelled, waving them ahead, "Before she breaks out of it!"

The group did as told, rushing ahead. Kamek followed behind, pausing as he passed Kammy.

"I told you to keep the castle safe," he said to her, shaking his head, before shooting off to follow the rest of them.

They ran the rest of the way, shining their light spells as bright as they could, to the hangar. They got in with a group of possessed Goombas hot on their heels, and they closed and locked the doors behind them.

"The airships ready?" Kamek called out.

A Magikoopa appeared on the deck of the Koopa Cruiser. "We didn't know which airship you wanted, sir, so we just fired up the Cruiser and that airship over—"

"That's fine! Get ready for takeoff!"

Kamek and the others piled into the Cruiser and the two airships flew off through the open ceiling and off into the sky.

Kamek and the others watched as the castle receded into the distance, until it was no longer visible as anything other than yet another dark spot on the horizon.


	6. Chapter 6

After fleeing the castle, Kamek and the others flew to every fortress and outpost in the Koopa Kingdom's territory, picking up every person they could find. Most of the people at the castle had been lost, but many of the outlying regions were untouched and the people there were unaware of the horrors that had transpired. And so the Koopa Kingdom became like a ghost town; most of the population was already taken by the shadows, and the leftovers were taken by Kamek and his crew.

Once this was done they flew at full speed away from there, away from the shadows. They didn't dare stop until they had reached the ocean, near the Beanbean shore. It was then that they felt that they were far enough away that they could stop and dock the two airships together so Kamek could speak to the entirety of the survivors.

Kamek told the story exactly as it had been told to him—with a few alterations to things such as the time at which he heard the story. After all, he didn't want the rest of them turning on him for having not told them sooner.

Throughout his explanation, he spoke unaided by a microphone or any other such apparatus, his audience silent as they took in what he was telling them. But at the end of his story, the crowd burst out into noise, everyone asking him questions or crying out about the hopelessness of it all and so on. Kamek tried to get everyone to quiet down but, after several unsuccessful attempts, he grabbed a nearby microphone and screamed into it, "Would everyone just quiet down, already?!"

The crowd turned to silence once more, looking up at Kamek expectantly.

"Thank you," Kamek said. He adjusted his glasses. "Listen, I know this sounds bad. I mean—it  _is_  bad, I'm not going to lie to you there. This is pretty much the worst thing to ever happen to the world. But we're okay!  _We_ haven't been taken, we're still alive and with our wits about us. We can't just admit defeat now, can we?"

Kamek stopped, hoping to get a resounding "No we can't" or something from the crowd, but didn't get any response at all. He sighed. " _No_ , everyone, we can't. We can still do something about all this!"

"Like what?" asked a voice in the crowd.

"Like…," Kamek paused. He really didn't have a plan, he was just trying to sound positive. "Like… We need to find a place to hide. Someplace the shadows aren't going to look and would have a hard time accessing. Someplace bright. Like… the arctic, maybe—it's constant daylight up there. And then we need to round up everyone at the most risk of being captured by this thing. Every villain and evil-doer needs our help, and we need to provide it to them. And then…" he reached, but he couldn't think of anything else. "Then… I don't know. We'll think of something, alright?"

A small, female voice spoke up from somewhere in the mob. "Shouldn't we ask Mario for help?"

Kamek stomped a foot. "Right, who said that?!"

A hundred fingers all pointed to a single point, where Vivian the Shadow Siren stood with her sister, Marilyn.

"Um…," she said.

"How'd  _she_  get here?" Kamek asked.

"Er," said a Hammer Bro., "She came with us. She was over at our fortress when you came, so—"

Kamek interrupted him. "Why were you in the Koopa Kingdom, Vivian?"

"W-we were looking for Beldam," she said. "We haven't seen her since she came to the Koopa Kingdom to see you."

"Right. Well give up looking for her, she's with the shadows now and I'm sure she's pretty happy about it," Kamek said. "Now, would you care to repeat your previous question?"

"I said I think we should ask Mario for his help," she said. "You said that those shadowy things were weak to people with pure hearts, right? Who better than Mario to defeat it?"

" _Look_ , you," Kamek said, pointing to her accusingly, "I don't know if you got the wrong idea, but you're among  _villains_ , here. We don't like Mario. Our  _profession_  is to cause Mario trouble. So how would it look if all of a sudden we come crying, 'oh Mario, please save us!'?"

"Guh! Guh guh guh!" Marilyn said.

"Marilyn's right!" Vivian said. "It doesn't matter how it looks, what matters is your survival, right?"

Kamek crossed his arms, sighing. "Okay… let me put it this way. Everyone who's in favor of running to Mario for help, say 'aye'."

Complete silence.

"Well, there you have it," Kamek said. "It's unanimous—your plan is completely unviable."

A Magikoopa leaned over closer to Kamek, and spoke to him in a hushed voice. "Kamek, sir, is it okay for her to be here with us? She's one of Mario's friends, after all."

Kamek thought about it. "No, it's okay, we need to keep her here. If she's one of the good guys, then maybe she can help us keep the shadows at bay. Make sure she doesn't leave, and especially make sure she doesn't contact Mario."

The Magikoopa nodded and returned to the crowd.

Kamek, seeing the matter resolved, returned to addressing the entire group. "Okay everyone, it's settled. The plan is to find people to join us, and then figure out more of a plan. Right? Okay. Helmsmen need to set a course for the arctic, and the rest of you are dismissed."

The crowd started to disperse, some people going to the other airship and others going below deck. Kamek turned and walked off to the railing at the edge of the Koopa Cruiser and leaned against it, looking downward as the ship started to move and the ocean rolled along below him.

It was hard for him to believe that his entire kingdom was now reduced to barely enough to fill two airships. This shadow thing worked fast.

He wondered how long it would be before they, too, would be taken.

He felt a tug on the back of his robe, and he looked back to see Bowser Jr. standing behind him.

"Hey, Junior," he said, forcing a smile. He knelt down to match the small prince's height.

"Hey, Kamek," Junior said. "Can I talk to you about sommin'?"

"Sure," Kamek sat down. "What is it?"

"So you remember how a while ago, King Dad got hurt an' I had to be in charge of tryin' to stop Mario while you an' them made him better again?"

Kamek nodded. "Yeah?"

"Since Dad's gone again, dozzat mean I'm in charge?"

"I guess it does," Kamek said.

"Oh." Bowser Jr. sat down and looked out at the ocean.

"You don't sound very enthusiastic about that," Kamek said, "I thought you liked bossing people around?"

"I do, it's just," Junior toyed with the bandanna around his neck. "I-I'm scared."

"That's okay, Junior," Kamek gave Junior a pat on the back, avoiding the little spikes on his back. "I am too."

"But you still know what to do an' all," Junior said, "When those things attacked you ran in and rescued ev'ryone. All I could do was climb onto a light and just hang there."

"Actually, that was pretty smart. Those things hate lights."

"I didn't know that," Bowser Jr. pouted, "I just freaked out. Dad wouldn't 've done that. How am I s'posed to be in charge if I do stuff like that?"

"Junior…"

"I'm tryin' to say," Junior said, somewhat forcefully, "That I don' have a clue how I'm s'posed to lead ev'ryone, and you're already doin' a good job, so I'm tellin' you that you can be in charge."

"Of the whole Koopa Troop?"

Bowser Jr. nodded. "Just 'til Dad's back."

Kamek grinned, amused. "So does that mean everyone has to call me 'King Kamek'?"

"No," Junior said.

Kamek laughed. "Okay, okay," he paused, then put a hand on Junior's shoulder. "You know, it's funny. You're so much like your dad, but then every once in a while you do things like this. You're so much more responsible than he was at your age."

"Really?"

Kamek nodded. "Oh yeah. At your age, all he could think about was cookies and shiny things."

Bowser Jr. laughed. "Nuh-uh!"

"No, it's true," Kamek insisted. "Aliens attacked and all he wanted was Yoshi cookies. I swear. I had to go sifting through an abandoned Yoshi village for them."

"Wooow," Junior smirked, "I'll hafta make fun of him for that once he's back!"

"Just don't let him know that I was the one who told you," Kamek said. "Now, you run off. I've got some stuff to do."

"Okay," Bowser Jr. started to run off, then stopped and ran back. "Oh yeah. An' I'm still in charge of you, okay? It's jus' ev'ryone  _else_  you're in charge of."

"Right, of course."

Bowser Jr. then ran off.

Kamek stayed there for a few minutes more, then went to the bridge to discuss some things with the crew.


	7. Chapter 7

Kamek and the rest of the Magikoopas were left with the task of hunting down the villains of the world, since they were both more capable of quick transportation thanks to their brooms and more likely to survive an attack by the shadows thanks to their magic. Kamek spent a week going back and forth, picking up various people—mostly nobodies, scattered members of the Koopa Troop and unaffiliated troublemakers.

Standing in the sewers under Princess Peach's castle, Kamek wondered if maybe he should just go look for some more Goombas or something.

He took a deep breath. No, every person he saved made a difference. Every person the shadows didn't get was a person who could help him and the others.

Even if it was someone he really didn't like.

Kamek used a teleportation spell to get past the grate that blocked the entrance to the pipes leading to Fawful's Bean and Badge shop. He noticed that it was more difficult to teleport here than elsewhere, and realized that he was here just in time; the magic field here was starting to get congested. The shadows could show up at any time. And there was no way they could attack the official residents of the castle, so it was clear who they were after. Kamek ran down the pipes.

He arrived in the bright, creepily-decorated bean shop. The first thing he noticed was that the place had several papers tacked to the walls, with what looked like… magic circles? No, they were too neat… Kamek could imagine Fawful drawing these circles with a straightedge and a protractor, getting the shape right but not the feeling behind it. Whatever it was that Fawful wanted these circles to do, they weren't going to do it.

There was a shuffling noise behind the counter, and Kamek turned his attention to it. Suddenly Fawful jumped atop the counter, a laser gun in each hand and his headgear's blaster pointed at the Magikoopa intruder. Kamek raised his hands to show he wasn't armed.

"Hey, hey," Kamek said. "Calm down."

"What is it that you are doing here?" Fawful demanded, still pointing his weapons. "Let me be guessing: you are here to have warning of 'misfortune of terribleness'?"

"Actually, yeah. But it looks like you've already caught wind of it," Kamek waved a hand at all of the magic circles, "What's all this?"

"I was doing the cleaning of the great Cackletta's things and she had some talismans of magicalness which had exploding and bursting into fire," Fawful explained. "I was assuming that something of badness and danger had approaching, so—"

"So you drew up a slew of completely useless circles," Kamek said.

"They have much usefulness!" Fawful argued. "You are just jealous of their perfection!"

Kamek sighed and rolled his eyes. "… Sure. But you're right, something bad  _is_  on its way. It's already attacked the Koopa Kingdom and it's on its way here. You need to come with me."

"I am suspicious of your being willing to tell me warnings of badness and be helping me," Fawful said, "As you are remembering, we are not liking each other muchly and you are always wanting for bad things to make themselves happen to the one who is me."

"Yeah, I know," Kamek said. "Look, I'll explain later, but it's really in my best interest that I keep you safe. And everyone else. Really, I'm just out trying to save everyone I can find, so don't go making this about you."

Fawful huffed. "Well, I will not be coming with you."

"Don't be stubborn," Kamek folded his arms. "Those magic circles won't protect you, kid, and you could be under attack any minute now. Please,  _please_  just come with me, okay?"

"Have leaving before I am blasting you," Fawful ordered.

"Just listen to me for a—" Kamek was cut short by the sound of a laser blast, which he just barely managed to dodge. He glared at Fawful. "… Fine! I tried to help, but obviously you'd rather sit here and wait to get taken!"

Kamek turned on his heel and stomped down the pipes, fuming. Well, there went that. As much as Kamek hated Fawful, he had really hoped to get him to come along. Their two airships weren't enough to hold all of the people that they were recruiting and they were currently in the midst of building a makeshift base on the ground—Fawful's technical expertise would have come in handy for things like setting up a heating system and such. But what was Kamek going to do? It wasn't like he could just  _kidnap_  him—not when Fawful was packing that much heat, anyway.

Kamek arrived at the grate, but stopped before he could teleport out.

The magic field had changed again. He could feel it.

Suddenly the pipes were full of noise, the sound of a flurry of laser blasts echoing through the metal tubing. Kamek turned and ran back toward Fawful's shop. He found Fawful surrounded by shadows. Fawful had now given up on lasers and was now trying to suck them up with his headgear, but this too was completely ineffectual. Fawful reached for the counter and as he did so, the largest of the shadows lunged at him. He pulled his hand from the counter, now holding a paper with one of his useless magic circles on it, and tried to smack the shadow with it. The paper, and his hand, went right through the shadow and it tackled him, throwing him first against the counter, and then to the ground. The impact sent his glasses and the one laser he was still holding flying, both landing on other sides of the room. Fawful started screaming.

Kamek pulled out his wand and sent a beam of light at the group of shadows, causing some of them to dissolve away. The one on top of Fawful, however, looked weakened but still remained there. Kamek ran forward and cast the spell again at closer range. The shadow disappeared, but was quickly replaced by thin shadowy tendrils rising up out of the shadow Fawful was casting on the ground. They reached up and grabbed at Fawful, who struggled and shouted but to no avail. Kamek got closer and cast another light spell, but more tendrils just kept coming, holding the little beanish boy to the ground.

A new shadow appeared out of the ground near Fawful's head. It stayed there as Kamek shot light after light at it, and it bent over its captive and reached its arms down. Its arms went straight through and into Fawful's head. Fawful screamed louder for a moment but then went all silent. Fawful's small black eyes went blank.

"No, no!" Kamek shouted, "You're not getting him, you stupid shadows!"

Kamek put his hand over Fawful's eyes and closed his own.

" _Lux maxima!_ "

The room was enveloped in a light so bright it would have blinded anyone who dared to look upon it. His eyes still shut tight, Kamek picked Fawful up—he was met with no resistance, so he assumed the spell had driven the shadows away for now. He put a hand out and called his broom, which arrived seconds later. He mounted it and floated up to the top of the room hoping that maybe, since the shadows seemed to be coming from the ground, he and Fawful would be safe there.

Kamek opened his eyes. The room was still bright, and there were no shadows around. He looked down at Fawful, whose face was buried in the Magikoopa's chest.

"Kid?" Kamek asked, nudging Fawful. "You okay there?"

Fawful didn't respond. Kamek got a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Was it already too late? Had Fawful already lost his mind to those things?

"Kid… Fawful, come on. Speak to me."

Fawful didn't speak but instead let out a small whimper, and then a sob.

Kamek sighed, relieved.

"This wouldn't have happened if you would've just listened to me," Kamek said.

Fawful groaned weakly.

Kamek floated down to the ground and picked up Fawful's dropped glasses. "Come on. We're getting out of here."

Kamek turned his broom to the exit and left Fawful's store as the light faded.

Behind him, red eyes appeared in the shadows, watching them as they left.


	8. Chapter 8

Their base was little more than a series of huge tents set up atop a high mountain, but since the airships were already full it was the only place most of the refugees could stay. It had, at first, been an uncomfortable place, but now that they had acquired a few mechanics they now had a heating system going, as well as plumbing and electricity. The tents were made of a clear plastic, thus letting in the arctic's perpetual sunshine and keeping them safe from shadow attacks.

Kamek was sitting upon a box in the tent, reading an ancient tome. The Magikoopas had all pooled their magic together to teleport some of their books out of the castle without actually stepping foot near it, and Kamek was now spending what little free time he had reading them, looking for clues. Vivian was sitting nearby, looking rather bored.

"Can I leave, yet?" she asked.

"No," Kamek said, turning a page.

She sighed, leaning against the box.

Fawful walked by, carrying a box of mechanical parts. Kamek looked up from his book and watched Fawful as he went past. Once Fawful was gone, he spoke.

"He's really creeping me out."

"Hm? How?" Vivian asked.

"Did you ever meet that kid before this all?"

Vivian shook her head.

"He talks," Kamek said, "And talks, and talks. Loudly and often. Except he hasn't said a word lately."

"Did something happen?"

Kamek shrugged. "We got attacked. The shadows nearly got him," Kamek scratched his head. "I mean, they  _really_  almost got him. I think they got into his head for a second there."

"Really?"

Kamek nodded.

"Do you think maybe… he saw something? When they were in his head, I mean?" Vivian said.

"Maybe…," Fawful walked past again, his box now empty. Kamek closed his book. "Hey, kid! Get over here."

Fawful walked over. "Hn?"

"You doing okay, there?" Kamek asked.

Fawful shrugged.

"You're really creeping me out with this silent treatment," Kamek said. "What's going on? Did you see something funny when those shadows got you?"

Fawful put his box down and nodded. "I say yes."

"What was it?" Vivian asked.

Fawful paused, then pointed to Vivian and looked up at Kamek. "Who is this being? She is possessing a shadowy appearance and I have no trust of her."

"That's Vivian, she's harmless," Kamek said. "Now, go on."

Fawful frowned. "I am not wanting to talk about it."

"Yeah, I know. Like I said, it's creepy," Kamek insisted. "Now just tell me, already."

Fawful groaned, slouched over, and sighed. "I had seeing of… it was… ah…," Fawful paused, "I am thinking it was a vision of augurness of the world as it will be when the shadows of badness are taking the aforementioned world."

Now Kamek was really interested. "What was it like?"

"It had darkness. But it was not being a darkness like in a bedroom which has had its lights turned off, or even like a night with no moon or stars or other things which are giving off the light. It was darkness like…," Fawful moved his hands as though trying to gesticulate something and moved his mouth, trying to find the right word. "Like…," He gave up, dropping his arms to his sides. "There are existing no words in my knowledge that can describe."

"Wow," Kamek leaned back, resting on his arms. "I guess I should really be scared. It must be pretty bad, to leave someone like  _you_  speechless."

Fawful nodded, but then caught the insult. " _Hey!"_

Vivian stood up and gave Fawful a hug. "You poor thing. That must've been such a scary thing to see."

Fawful had a horrified look on his face. "Wh-why is this lady of shadowness and pink hair having the touching of me? I say to you, be letting go!"

Vivian did so, still looking concerned for the boy.

"But," Kamek said, leaning forward again, "That's scary and all, but you're not the type to get all silent and traumatized just from that. What's really bothering you?"

"It is just…," Fawful looked away. "I do not see anything that we are able to have doing to prevent this thing which I was seeing."

"This isn't hopeless, Fawful," Kamek said.

"It is!" Fawful shouted, "We are in the possession of exactly zero secret weapons, we are having thinking of no clever strategies! The sandwich of our victory lacks meat, cheese—we are not even having bread!  _No bread!_ "

"We've got this place, at least," Kamek pointed out. "We're safe here."

"For now," Fawful hissed.

"Yes," Vivian said, "For now. We have a place where the shadows can't reach. It might not last, but it's better than nothing, right?"

Fawful huffed. "… alright. We are having  _pickles_."

Kamek was pretty sure that Fawful hated pickles. "Kid, we're going to get through this, I swear. The others and I—we're working on a plan."

"This would be so much easier if you'd just ask Mario for help," Vivian said.

" _NO_ ," Kamek and Fawful said in unison.

Vivian sighed.

"You can't just  _give up_ ," Kamek said. "I mean, what would Cackletta say, hmm?"

Fawful looked down, a pained expression on his face.

"S-she would be saying…," Fawful tried to imitate Cackletta's voice, "Fawful! Have standing up straight! Go and be fighting so that you may be saving the world so that you may be able to take it over! Also be brushing your teeth every day!"

Kamek smiled, satisfied. "See? She wouldn't want you giving up."

Fawful nodded. "But…"

Kamek also tried imitating Cackletta's voice. "No buts!"

Fawful narrowed his eyes. "You are making the voice of my mistress sound bad and terrible!"

Kamek laughed. He rather thought his imitation sounded pretty good.

Fawful picked his box up. "I have much work to be doing," he shifted the weight of the box to one hand and pointed to Kamek. "I will be having words with you, howingever!"

"Oh yeah? What sort of words?"

"Words of importance," Fawful said. "I say to you good day!"

Fawful then turned and stomped out of the room.

"So," Vivian said, "Who's Cackletta, then?"

"His mom," Kamek said, picking his book back up and flipping through it, looking for the page he had been on.

Fawful yelled out from outside. " _She is not being the mother of me!_ "

Kamek shrugged. "Close enough."

"What do you think he wants to talk to you about?"

"I dare not imagine," Kamek said, chuckling.

Vivian sat back down. Kamek continued his reading. The heaters keeping the tent comfortable hummed in the background.

"… Can I leave now?"

" _No_."


	9. Chapter 9

Fawful stood atop a TV set, holding over his head a huge set of bunny-ear TV antennae.

"There—right there! You got it, slick!"

Fawful glared down at Doopliss and the group of various baddies around him. "If you would be giving me time for the building of something, I can be making an apparatus of reception which would make it unnecessary for me to be doing this annoying thing."

"Yeah, yeah," Doopliss said, flipping the channel with a remote. "You can do that later, slick, once I've gotten a chance to watch some TV."

Fawful growled.

Kamek entered the tent, looking around at the group. "What's going on, here?"

A Goomba looked up at Kamek. "The crazy little bean-kid got the TV working!"

"I do not possess craziness!" Fawful snapped, "And I am not being a kid!"

"TV? Shouldn't we be doing something more important?" Kamek said. He pushed through the group that was now mesmerized by the TV and stopped next to Doopliss. "Oh, Doopliss. When'd you get here?"

"'Bout a week ago," Doopliss replied, flipping the channel again.

"Huh. Funny I haven't seen you. I thought for sure that everyone in your area was dead meat, what with how dark it always was over there."

"I kept the shadows away," Doopliss grinned, "I turned into a lightbulb. They couldn't touch me."

"Clever," Kamek said, raising an eyebrow.

"Heh, yeah right!" laughed a Magikoopa. "Soon as we found him, he passed out. He totally forgot to consider that lightbulbs need  _power_  to stay on!"

Kamek chuckled. "Let me guess. It ended up draining you completely, huh?"

Doopliss grunted. "It worked, didn't it?"

Fawful spoke up. "He only had the waking up at a time which was a little bit ago!"

"I said it worked, didn't it?!" Doopliss changed the channel again, "Jeez."

Kamek snatched the remote from Doopliss's hand and started flipping through the channels.

"Hey!" Doopliss said. "I was watching that!"

"Shush, this is more important," Kamek said. He settled on a news channel.

"Hey," said the Goomba, "They're talking about the shadows."

Kamek nodded. "Looks like." He stood there and watched as the Toad reporters talked about all the places that had mysteriously turned dark. He felt a bit of envy as they walked through the places completely untouched by the shadows, protected by their innocence. "The poor idiots. They have no idea what's going on."

"Man, here we're cowering in this miserable place and all those jerks are all safe," Doopliss grumbled.

"That is only being for  _now_ ," Fawful pointed out. "Eventually they too will be—"

"Hey!" Kamek interrupted, pointing to Fawful, "I thought we had a talk about all this pessimism."

Fawful huffed. "I am still wanting to be speaking with you, by the waying."

Kamek gave the remote back to Doopliss. "So talk, then."

"I am wanting you to be teaching me how to use properly the magics of powerfulness and shadow-repelling," Fawful said.

"No," Kamek said, watching the TV.

"What?!" Fawful threw the TV antennae to the ground, killing the signal and reducing every channel to static. The entire group, except Kamek, groaned. "Why are you not wanting to have the teaching of the great and amazing Fawful?!"

"Because I saw your pathetic attempts at magic circles," Kamek frowned. "You obviously don't have a clue what magic is about."

"That is only being a result of the fact that I have not received any teachings!" Fawful yelled, jumping off of the TV.

"And why not?" Kamek adjusted his glasses, "Cackletta was the most powerful witch in Beanbean and yet she didn't see fit to teach you  _any_  magic! Why do you think that was, hmm?"

"Well, that—"

"It's because you obviously don't have the knack!" Kamek crossed his arms. "And I'm not going to waste my time trying to teach someone who just isn't going to get it."

The others in the room let out a quiet "oooooh," sounding like a group of kindergarteners watching a fight. Doopliss chimed in with "He told  _you!_ "

Fawful clenched his fists. "I am  _insisting!_  I am a genius of much smartness and intelligence, and I will learn magics just as well as I am able to learn science and things of such nature!"

Kamek shrugged. "Fine." He pointed to the other Magikoopa in the room. "You. Teach the kid magic."

"Wh-what?!" the Magikoopa cried.

"I am also saying 'what'!" Fawful said.

"Hey, I'm not the only wizard here," Kamek remarked. "I don't see why I should bother."

"But—but Kamek, sir, I—"

"Hey, I'm in charge here, remember?" Kamek said, "This is an order!"

"I am saying to you no!" Fawful shouted, "I refuse to be taught by someone who is possessing inferior skills!"

"Heey, that's not cool," the Magikoopa said.

"I'm not doing it," Kamek insisted.

"You should have  _honor_  that I am asking you for instruction!" Fawful said, "The only one who is truly possessing worthiness for the teaching of the one who is me is the great Cackletta herself, but since she is no longer here I am forced to settle for  _you_."

Kamek rolled his eyes. "Gee,  _thanks_."

"What if the shadow things of badness are having attacking, hmm?!" Fawful argued, "Are you of the desire that no one is able to be defending themselves?!"

Kamek thought about this for a moment, and then smiled. "I see your point."

"So you will have the teaching of me?"

Kamek nodded, and then looked around at the group. "Okay! Everyone here who doesn't already know magic, you're coming with me for a crash course!"

"What?!" Fawful exclaimed, "But—"

"I'll teach you, don't you worry," Kamek chuckled, "I'll just teach all the rest of  _them_ , too."

"Ruuu…," Fawful growled. "I have fury."

"I know you do," Kamek gave Fawful a condescending pat on the head. "Now come on, let's get started."

Kamek left the tent with most of the group following behind. Fawful lingered around for a moment more.

"Stupid Magikoopa of stupidness!" Fawful grumbled. He gave the TV a good kick.

"Hey!" Doopliss said, picking up the antenna. "Don't do that, slick!"

Fawful stuck out his tongue again and kicked the TV a second time before running to catch up with Kamek and the others.


	10. Chapter 10

The group stood in a neat line, all holding various items that they were using as makeshift magic wands. Kamek stood before them with his hands on his hips.

"Again!" he said.

The group all put their hands out and, in unison, cried, " _Lux!_ "

A flash of light came from the hands of each of Kamek's students.

"Good, good!" Kamek clapped his hands together. "You're all catching on very quickly. Except…," he pointed to Fawful. "You. Kid. Do it again."

Fawful nodded. "I am saying  _Lux!_ "

Nothing happened. The others in the tent all snickered.

Kamek sighed. "Again."

"I say with frustration:  _Lux!_ "

Still nothing.

"Do you have to, you know, do that?" Kamek asked.

"Be doing what?"

"That! The unnecessary wordiness!"

"What is it that you are having the speaking of?" Fawful asked.

"Look," Kamek said, rubbing his temples in agitation. "Just say 'lux'. Just that. Don't say 'I'm saying lux', don't say 'luxness', don't say 'lux habeo'! JUST. SAY. LUX."

Fawful frowned. "Fining," he took a deep breath, concentrating on the spell, and then put his hand out. " _Lux!_ "

There was a small spark from Fawful's hand. Kamek nodded.

"There, see? That was still terrible, but at least it did  _something_."

Fawful looked at his hand, bewildered. "It had tininess and I am not thinking that such a spell of smallness would be doing me any good if the shadows were to have the attacking of me."

"Well, what did I say? You haven't got the knack," Kamek turned and started to walk away. "Okay, class dismissed. You guys keep practicing, and tell everyone else that if they want lessons I'll be here."

The other students dispersed rather quickly, but Fawful followed close behind Kamek. "That was not being a very long lesson!"

"I don't like teaching," Kamek said as they passed from the tent out into the cold outdoor air, and then quickly back into another tent, "And that's really the only spell that'd do anyone any good right now, and since they all seemed to have the hang of it I don't see any point in continuing the lesson."

" _I_  do not have the hanging," Fawful argued.

"And I already told you why," Kamek said. "What do you want me to do about it? I'm a great wizard and all, but no one's good enough to be able to give  _you_  talent."

Fawful growled. "Ruu… you are only saying that because you possess inferiority as a teacher!"

"And yet you insisted that I was the only person good enough to teach you," Kamek said, amused.

Fawful huffed. "Cease your noise!"

Kamek laughed. "I guess that means I win the argument? Hooray."

Fawful stopped and crossed his arms, although this was a pointless gesture since his arms were hidden under his cloak.

Kamek knelt over a pile of old books and started digging through them. "I've still got something you can do, though."

"And that is being?"

Kamek tossed a pad of paper at Fawful, dug through the books some more until he found a quill pen and an ink well, and proceeded to give those to Fawful as well.

"You should know how a magic circle looks, you drew enough of them. I want you to sit here and draw magic circles until you get it right."

Fawful exhaled sharply, but sat down and dipped the pen in the ink well. "Am I receiving a ruler or other such straight implement with which I can draw lines that are not wobbly?"

"No. Never. Get drawing," Kamek picked up a dusty book and opened it.

Fawful started drawing his circles, mumbling under his breath the entire time. Kamek started reading. They stayed like that for a while, although Fawful would occasionally break the near-silence by holding up a circle and asking, "Does this have correctness?" before starting over upon being told no.

"I am not getting it," Fawful complained finally, "How is it that I am getting it wrong?! I have had the drawing of many things in the past, things which are blueprints and diagrams of technicalness which possess much more complication than these circles of magic! How am I being wrong in my drawing?"

"Because you're focusing too much on the  _drawing,_ " Kamek said, flipping a page in his book. "The only thing on your mind when you draw those things should be the function you want the circle to serve. The lines can be wobbly and the circles can be lopsided, and as long as you're completely focused on what you're doing it should still work."

Fawful frowned, staring at the paper. "… that has stupidness."

"That's how magic works," Kamek said.

Fawful huffed and continued drawing.

Kamek stood. "Keep drawing and don't stop. I've got things to take care of."

Fawful grumbled, but didn't protest, so Kamek left. He went from tent to tent until he reached where the other Magikoopas were, all of them studying the books they had.

"Any progress, guys?"

Every head in the room snapped up at him, and then turned to face one Magikoopa in the back of the tent. The Magikoopa cleared his throat.

"Er… yes, sir."

"Well?"

The Magikoopa got up and, carrying an ancient-looking book, shuffled over to Kamek. "Here, in this old book of legends… it's written in an old language, and it's kind of… well, it's literature, sir, the words are all flowery, but we think…" he pointed to a passage of text, written in odd squiggly letters, "We think we've found the place where this thing is hiding."

Kamek squinted at the letters, trying to read them.

The Magikoopa spoke again. "We've all been talking about it, sir. We've compared this text with some maps… we're pretty sure about it. I think… I think we should send a team to check it out."

Kamek frowned. "That'd be too dangerous."

"It'll be fine, sir," the Magikoopa said. "We've got a team that's gotten away from plenty of shadows already. We'll have them fly nearby, see how things look, and then they'll leave. They won't do anything too risky."

Kamek crossed his arms, considering it. "Okay. But tell them to be careful."

The Magikoopa nodded. "I'll go arrange things."

The Magikoopa left. Kamek looked around at the others. "That's one step forward. Have any of you guys got any ideas as to what we should do now that we know where the thing is?"

The group all gave various responses, groans and shaking heads and so on, all negative. Kamek sighed. "Try and think of something. I'm going to go see if anyone else has any ideas."

He turned and left the tent.


	11. Chapter 11

Kamek had butterflies in his stomach.

The reconnaissance team had quickly realized that radios didn't work in an area so full of shadows—after all, radio is just a lower frequency of light, and light was severely lacking there, even on the outskirts of the area—and had resorted to using makeshift magical talismans to keep contact with Kamek and the others. Unfortunately, with the magical field as backed up as it was, they could only send seconds-long messages every now and then, else they'd risk breaking the talismans and losing contact with Kamek entirely.

The long stretches of silence drove Kamek nuts.

"I'm too old to be under this much stress…," he mumbled to himself, leaning back in his seat.

"What was that, sir?" asked a nearby Magikoopa.

"Nothing," Kamek said, turning the communication talisman in his hands. It started to make a crackling noise, and he held it to his ear.

" _—amek, sir?—Come in—_ " came a voice from the talisman.

"I'm here. What's your status?" Kamek said.

The sound wavered in and out, the quality bad and hard to understand. " _We're – the place – very dark, sir. Magic is all – up."_

"Worse than any other place?" Kamek asked, "Do you think this could be the shadows' lair after all?"

He didn't receive a response. He frowned. He looked around at everyone else around and, seeing how nervous they all looked, he tried to look more relaxed. "Just interference, everyone. Don't worry."

"Right, right," another Magikoopa said, sounding as though he was trying to reassure himself, "You're right. Interference."

Kamek poked at the talisman. "Hello? Do you read me?"

His question was met by some static, then more silence. He sighed. "We'll just have to be patient."

"Are you alright, sir?" asked a Toady.

"Fine, thank you," Kamek lied. He glared at the talisman.  _Tell us you're on your way back,_  he thought, as though the order could really be heard by them.  _Tell us you've finished there and you're returning and nothing bad has happened._

As if on cue, the static became louder and then was joined by the yelling of the Magikoopas on the other end. " _Sir! Sir!—been spotted, sir! – they got Joey!"_

"They got one of you?!" Kamek's mind was swimming now. Could the shadows read the minds of the people they took? Did this mean they would know where to find him and his refugees now? "G-Get out of there, all of you!"

" _We're trying! – Oh man – Marvin! Marvin!"_

Kamek was gripping the arm of his chair now. "Th-they got another one of you?!" That only left one of them… "What's going on now?"

" _Th-the shadows are rushing ahead of me—oh no, oh no, oh no—north! They're headed north, sir! They—"_

The talisman erupted with screaming. Not wanting to hear any more, Kamek crushed the talisman on the ground, then whirled around to face his companions.

"Get everyone onto the airships! This place is no longer safe! We have to get out of here,  _now!_ "

The tent became a flurry of movement before it emptied out. Everyone ran off to spread the bad news and assemble the refugees. They would have a hard time fitting everyone into the ships, but it was the only choice they had…

Kamek took a few moments to catch his breath.

He was much too old for this.

He made his way to the Koopa Cruiser. Using his broom to fly above the crowds that were pushing and shoving their way into the airships, he boarded the ship and made his way to the bridge. The place was busier than he'd seen it in a long while, with everyone struggling to get the ship started up as quickly as was safely possible. Bowser Jr. was sitting in the captain's seat, but got up and let Kamek sit there instead.

"Thank you," Kamek said to his prince before looking up to the helmsman and asking,"How long do you think it'll take to load everyone in?"

"Well, between the people and the provisions, I'd say—"

"No," Kamek interrupted. "No provisions. We haven't the time, we'll find provisions later. We just need to get everyone on and get out of here as soon as we can. Understood?"

The helmsman nodded. "Y-yes, sir!"

As the helmsman got onto the intercom and repeated this order to others on the ship, Bowser Jr. looked up to Kamek with admiration. "Wooooow. You're so calm. I wish I was as good at this as you are."

Kamek frowned. "I feel like I'm about to have a heart attack."

"Oh," Bowser Jr. paused, scratching his head. "This isn't going to end well, isn't it?"

Kamek looked away. He couldn't find the strength in himself to lie to the boy. "No, Junior. It probably won't."

A little while passed, and outside the windows Kamek could see shadows outside growing darker. He tapped his fingers impatiently.

"Kamek, sir!" the helmsman said, "The ship is filled 30 above capacity! Any more passengers and we won't be able to take off!"

"What about the other ship?"

"It's still boarding."

Kamek nodded. "Let's get this bird in the sky. We'll hover above and wait for the other ship."

"Yes, sir!" The helmsman saluted, then ran to the ship's controls and began the takeoff procedures.

Kamek could feel an unbelievable sense of relief as he saw the landscape receding beneath them. They might just get out of this okay, he thought.

"Sir!" one of the crew cried, "Look!"

Kamek got up and looked out the window. In it, he could see the other airship, still earthbound—and quickly being consumed by shadows. Kamek bit his lip.

"Shine the searchlights on it!" he ordered, "As bright as you can get them!"

The Koopa Cruiser's searchlights went on and were all pointed at the airship, but it had no effect at all on the darkness consuming it. Kamek looked on in horror as it just got worse and worse.

"Your orders, sir?" The helmsman asked.

Kamek sighed, putting a hand to his head. "… get us out of here. There's nothing we can do for them now."

The helmsman nodded and set about steering the ship away. Kamek walked back to his seat.

"Get us far away," Kamek said, "Stop only if we need to refuel, and even then be quick about it," Kamek paused, sighing, and looked out the window, watching the horror they were running from.

"Follow the sun," Kamek said finally.

And so the lone airship flew, without a home and without hope, into the western sky.


	12. Chapter 12

The airship, full past capacity, was nearly completely silent.

With over half of the refugees taken and no safe place left to hide, everyone was beginning to come to terms with the fact that there was no hope left for them. They were past the phase of denial, or even the phase of screaming and crying. All was silent as the passengers of the Koopa Cruiser contemplated their inevitable fate.

"This has pointlessness," Fawful grumbled.

"Shut up," Kamek said before grabbing the intercom microphone. "Goomber J. Goom? Is Goomber J. Goom here?"

Kamek let go of the microphone as he waited for a response from the other rooms.

Fawful rolled his eyes, shifting his weight on the navigation console on which he was sitting. "What is it mattering who is left?"

"It matters," Kamek said. "Every one of us here matters. We need to know who was have here."

"This has stupidity," Fawful insisted.

The intercom crackled. "Chamber one, here, sir, no response."

"Chamber two. No response."

"Chamber three. Nothing."

It continued on like that. Kamek crossed out the name. He looked to the next name, sighed, and started scanning through the list, looking for people he knew.

"Doopliss?" he asked the intercom finally. "I don't suppose he got out okay?"

Pause. "Chamber one, sir. Nothing."

"Chamber two. No response."

Fawful snickered. "At least there is one good thing coming of this. No more annoying ghost of dupliness."

"Shut up, kid," Kamek said, "You're really bugging me."

The intercom came on again. "Chamber three, we have—hey!" There was some rustling, and then Doopliss's voice came on the intercom. "You didn't think you could ditch me that easy, did you, slick?"

Fawful sighed. "Oh welling."

"Good to know you're still with us," Kamek said. "Did you turn into a lightbulb again or something?"

"Nah, slick, I just pretended to be you. Got me onto the ship real easy."

Kamek frowned. "And no one noticed the difference?"

"Nope," Doopliss sounded pretty pleased with himself.

Kamek felt a little insulted. "Right, then." He put the microphone aside and started looking over the list. He took the microphone again. "Vivian? Has anyone seen Vivian or Marilyn?"

Each room replied in the negative. Kamek sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"This is bad," he said. He paused, staring up at the ceiling. "But, no. Maybe they're okay. They aren't really evil like us, they might've been spared. They could just be waiting in the tents…"

"You had seeing how many shadows were being there," Fawful said. "I am of the opinion that even guys of goodness would be having a time of difficulty to be avoiding them."

"But that would mean that the shadows have become powerful enough to…," Kamek trailed off. He didn't want to finish that thought.

The room went silent for a moment, save for the sound of the autopilot's occasional beeping and whirring.

"I had an experience of near-death once," Fawful said. "When I was a child of youngness."

"Yeah?" Kamek said, grateful for any change in topic.

"What is being interesting is that when I was almost dying, I had the seeing of a light," Fawful explained, "But when the shadows were trying to take me, I was seeing only darkness."

Kamek looked at Fawful. "Kid…"

"So I am assuming that when shadows are taking someone, they are not dying," Fawful went on. "So when I am succumbing still I will not be able to be with the Great Cackletta."

"Don't think like that," Kamek said.

"It is all I can have thinking of," Fawful said, his voice small. "I have fear that I may never see my mistress again."

Kamek wondered if he should try comforting Fawful, but his thoughts were interrupted by the radar's proximity alert going off. Fawful glanced off to the side at the radar. "It is being small," he said weakly. "The size of a person I would be thinking."

"What…" Kamek got up and dashed out of the bridge. He could hear Fawful following a distance away. He got onto the deck just in time to see Mario, wearing a wing cap, touching down on the ship.

Kamek, as well as everyone else on the deck, just stared.

Vivian peeked her head out from behind Mario. Kamek's jaw dropped.

"Vi—Vivian?! You're—"

"W—we ducked into the shadow realm to get away," she looked away. "It was dangerous. Marilyn didn't make it."

Fawful finally got onto the deck. He stopped at the doorway, grimaced, then started to charge at Mario. Kamek sighed and grabbed Fawful by the back of his cloak, making him fall over onto his butt.

"Calm down, kid," Kamek said. He let go of Fawful and walked up to Mario and Vivian. "I assume Vivian already told you the situation."

Mario nodded. "I really don't get why you didn't ask for help."

Kamek groaned, rubbing his temples. "Look, don't… don't even ask. We just…"

"You're just stubborn," Mario said.

"I don't need a lecture from you," Kamek said. "Isn't it obvious we've suffered enough without being scolded by our worst enemy?"

Mario just shook his head, disapproving. Vivian, noticing the tension, spoke up. "I know you guys don't want Mario's help, but it doesn't look like you've got any other choice anymore. Just look at what happened at the north pole… do you really want that to happen to the whole world?"

Kamek looked down, unable to look Vivian, or Mario, in the eye. "No," he said. "I don't."

Fawful stomped over, glaring at Mario with death in his eyes. "We are not going to accept helpings from the brother of redness!"

Kamek looked at Fawful wearily. "We don't—"

"I would rather have dying!" Fawful insisted. "I would rather have a fate which is worse than the dying!"

"Stop being such a stubborn little kid," Kamek said.

"I am not a kid of littleness!" Fawful said.

"Then stop acting like it!" Kamek shouted, quickly losing his patience. "Now—now—go below deck, or something!"

Fawful's face was turning red with rage. "But—"

Kamek pointed to the door leading below deck. "Go! The grown-ups are talking, here!"

Fawful growled, and the blaster on his headgear seemed to sneer at Kamek. Fawful clenched his fists and glared at Kamek, then at Vivian, then especially at Mario, before turning on his heel and stomping downstairs.

Kamek squeezed the bridge of his nose, where his glasses rested, and sighed. "Anyway. Where were we?"

"You were about to accept my help," Mario said, crossing his arms.

"Was I? Hmm," Kamek looked around at everyone else on the deck. They all stared back at him. Kamek knew what he had to do, but he wondered if they would lynch him for it.

Just then, he saw Bowser Jr. push through the crowd and look up at him. He froze.

"J-Junior…"

Bowser Jr. took a deep breath, then walked up to Kamek and Mario. He looked Mario over.

"I heard that you teamed up with my dad a couple times," he said, sounding very unsure of what he was saying. "Like… like when that Smithy guy stole the castle, and when there was that Bleck guy."

"Well, more like he joined up with me, but that's about right…" Mario said, shrugging.

"So," Junior looked up at Kamek, "Dad wouldn't be mad if we let Mario help us now, would he?"

Kamek felt relieved. He wasn't alone in making this decision. He couldn't be the scapegoat later when everyone felt humiliated. "H-he wouldn't," Kamek said. "Lord Bowser wouldn't mind at all."

"Well then!" Junior held out a clawed hand, "Welcome to the Koopa Troop!"

Mario sighed, looking somewhat amused. "Just like his father…"

"You have no idea," Kamek said.

Mario shook Junior's hand, and then Kamek's. Vivian, caught up in the moment, started clapping, apparently expecting everyone else to join in.

Of course, there was complete silence on the part of the rest of the crowd.

"What?" Kamek said, taking his hand back and wiping it off on his robe, as though Mario had left some invisible filth on him, "You expect us to be happy about this desperate arrangement? Let's just get this over with, come on."

Kamek turned and walked below deck, motioning for Mario to follow.

They spent the rest of the day planning what would be done.


	13. Chapter 13

The only thing left to do was a full-out offensive.

They couldn't bring everyone. Numbers meant nothing here. They would bring with them only those who could use light spells well enough to have some chance of lasting longer than two minutes.

The airship was hovering a few miles away from the shadows' lair. The various agents of evil were testing their magic, trying to warm themselves up for the challenge ahead. Kamek stood alone, leaning on the railing, watching the dark patch in the distance.

Mario walked up.

"I never thought it'd happen like this," Kamek said.

"Hm?"

"I always thought when my time came, I'd be fighting against you," Kamek smiled weakly, "Not  _with_  you."

"You're so sure that we're gonna fail," Mario said.

"Maybe  _you_  might make it out alive and unscathed. Maybe you might even save the world. I don't know. But me, I'm too old for this," Kamek looked away. "I can't just stay behind, because I doubt you'll get far without me. But I know my limits. I'm not coming out of this alive."

"You've gotten through worse," Mario said.

Kamek shook his head. "No. I haven't."

The two were silent for a moment, before Kamek started chuckling.

"I don't even want to imagine the crazy things Lord Bowser will get into once I'm not around to keep him under control. I'm glad I'm not you."

Mario forced a smile. Kamek chuckled again. "Good luck, Mario," he said. "It's been… well, it's been an  _experience_ , fighting with you."

Kamek then turned and walked away, muttering words of encouragement to whoever else he passed by.

It wasn't long before the invading party was on their way. Riding atop their brooms, they zoomed toward the darkness ahead. Most of the Magikoopas were paired two to a broom, so that both of them could pool their magic together to keep their broom aloft against the thick magic field around them. Kamek, being powerful enough to hold up his broom alone, was carrying Mario with him.

Soon, they realized that Fawful had been following them. The adolescent Bean flew up next to them, his Headgear decked out with more lightbulbs than Kamek ever thought possible.

Kamek grimaced. "Get out of here, kid!" he yelled against the sound of the wind.

"No! You are needing me!" Fawful yelled back. "I might not have the magic of sparklyness, but I am having more flashlights than you are imagining which I know bear much more ease of use than your magic in a place like the place we are going to!"

"You idiot! You won't last a second over there!" Kamek said.

"I am not caring! I would rather this have ending for me now instead of later!"

Mario joined the argument. "Listen to Kamek, Fawful! Go back!"

"I am hating you both and will therefore not be listening to either!" Fawful replied, pouting.

Kamek groaned. "Ugh… whatever."

They were near where the scouting party had been overtaken. Kamek could see, on the ground, shadows looking up at them. Kamek wondered if it was Mario's presence that kept them at bay.

Their surroundings quickly dimmed, and soon they found themselves standing at the mouth of a cave. They got off their brooms, knowing that staying on them would be a waste of their magic power.

"Alright, everyone, this is it," Kamek said. "The shadows are obviously a bit shy about getting near Mario, so stick close to him. I'm sure they'll start attacking as we get farther in, so stay on guard. Everyone ready?"

The group hesitated before answering, weakly, in the affirmative.

"Well then," Kamek shoved Mario toward the cave. "After you."

The group stepped into the cave. They shined their light spells—and flashlights—to light the way, the red eyes of shadows watching them as they passed. They knew not which way they were going—the tunnels ahead of them were unnaturally dark, not even reflecting the light the group radiated. It wasn't long before the cave entrance was far behind them, unseen, and the group was surrounded in complete darkness.

"This is really creepy," said one Magikoopa.

"Why do you think they're just staring at us?" said another, "I know we've got Mario, but this is their home turf, you'd think they'd be able to—"

He was interrupted by the scream of someone in the front of the group. A giant shadow lunged forward at them, reaching out to take as many of them as it could grasp. Fawful pushed forward to the front of the group and switched on a huge spotlight atop his Headgear. The shadow dissolved, splintering into smaller shadows that retreated, disappearing back into the darkness.

"Hah!" Fawful laughed, "He who was told to go away has had the rescuing of all of you!"

Kamek rolled his eyes. "Don't go getting  _too_  humble on us, kid."

Fawful continued to grin, gloating.

There was a loud cracking noise above them. They looked up to see some shadows dislodging part of the ceiling above them.

"Move, move!" Mario cried, pushing his allies ahead of him as the ceiling collapsed.

A chunk of rock fell above Mario—only to get knocked away by a magic blast from Kamek.

"Thanks," Mario said.

Kamek huffed, pushing Mario forward. "What're you doing, falling to the back of the group?"

"The others were going to—"

"If they're going to get crushed by the rocks, let them," Kamek hissed. "You're our only hope, here. We can't have you getting killed this early on. We're your meat-shield, understand?"

Mario frowned.

"Stay in the middle of the group," Kamek said. "That's where it's safest," he looked up to the rest of the group. "Everyone! Protecting Mario is our first priority!"

The group all sneered at this, but nodded anyway. Kamek didn't blame them. He felt sick for having said "protect" and "Mario" in the same sentence. Just a month ago, he never thought he'd ever say anything like that.

They continued to fight through the cave.

Kamek felt himself experiencing a unique sense of horror. As they got farther in, the shadows became more and more daring, coming at them in droves while still trying to drop rocks on Mario. Kamek stayed in the middle of the group, near Mario, sticking close for fear that Mario might try to do something stupidly heroic at just the wrong moment.

The only sounds in this awful place were the shuffling of footsteps, shuffle, shuffle, then the occasional shout as a shadow attacked, spells being used, and then screams as one more Koopa was taken. Then came the sounds of scuffling with their zombified former-ally before finally the sounds returned to just shuffle, shuffle, until the process repeated.

One by one, their numbers were dwindling. Kamek had no idea how far this cave went, and it wasn't particularly clear exactly how far they had already gone.

He noticed Fawful fiddling with some sort of device.

"What is that?" Kamek asked him.

"A device of brilliance," Fawful said. "I am trying to use sonar and things like that to determine how deep this cave is going."

Another Magikoopa leaned in closer to try and look at the device's screen. "And?"

"And…," Fawful stopped, holding out his arm. "Be stopping."

"What's the problem?" asked a Magikoopa.

Fawful activated his Headgear's rockets and floated forward before looking down, pointing his flashlights down where the ground should have been.

"There is being a long drop," Fawful said.

"How long, exactly?" Kamek asked.

Fawful floated back to the ground, picked up a pebble, and tossed it down the hole.

It was a long while before they heard it hit bottom.

"Good thing we didn't fall down there," Mario said.

Fawful grinned. "Once again I am proving my amazing usefulness!"

"Yeah, yeah," Kamek made his broom appear. "Alright, let's get down there. Kid, got any flashbombs?"

Fawful nodded, then started rummaging through his cloak pockets. He prepared to drop the flashbomb into the abyss, but a giant shadow leapt out, grabbing onto Fawful. Fawful flailed about, shouting, before finally setting off the flashbomb. The shadow gone, he flew back to the group and shoved Kamek forward.

"You are going first!" he said.

"Pff. Baby. Gimme another flashbomb," Kamek said.

Fawful pulled out another bomb and handed it to Kamek. Kamek got onto his broom, floated over, and dropped the flashbomb. "Alright everyone, quickly!"

The Magikoopas started flying down the hole. Fawful started to go as well, but Kamek stopped him. "Since you chickened out, you get to carry Mario."

"I will not be carrying the red moustache!" Fawful argued.

"Yeah, you  _will_ ," Kamek pushed Fawful toward Mario.

Fawful growled. A robot arm came out of his Headgear and grabbed Mario by the leg, picking him up.

"H-Hey!" Mario said, dangling upside-down.

"Have silence," Fawful grumbled.

So Fawful and Mario flew down into the hole, followed closely by Kamek. They got to the bottom to find that, despite the fact that the light from the flashbomb hadn't completely died down, their comrades were already busy fighting an army of shadows.

Kamek felt his chest tighten. The magic field here was intense.

"We must be close," Kamek said, "What's your sonar thing say, kid?"

Kamek looked over, but Fawful was already busy fighting shadows, swinging Mario about carelessly as he pointed light after light at each shadow that came at him. Kamek groaned and, after blasting away a few shadows of his own, flew over to Fawful and smacked him in the head.

"Be a little more careful with the hero, would you?"

Fawful growled. "Ever of what! I am too busy with trying to be not get overwhelmed to busy myself babysitting a plumber!"

Fawful then dropped Mario onto the rocks.

"Jeez," Mario said, getting onto his feet, "You all keep treating me like a chore."

"Yeah, well," Kamek shot a beam of light at an incoming shadow. "That's how it goes. Anyway, Fawful, how much farther do we have to go?"

"Unn," Fawful fiddled with the device as he continued to fight shadows. "It is not being much farther. We—"

He was interrupted as a shadow knocked him over from behind. The device clattered to the ground and skidded to Kamek's feet. Kamek shot some light at the shadow attacking Fawful, freeing him, before picking up the device and looking at it.

The screen showed a diagram of the surrounding tunnels. The cave seemed to fade into nothing about a hundred or so meters ahead.

"Okay then!" Kamek said. "Let's get moving!"

No one seemed to reply. He looked around to see everyone else already too busy fighting to be able to move forward. He frowned and looked to Mario.

"Well, I guess just the two of us will get moving."

Mario nodded, his expression serious.

The two of them ran forward, Kamek flashing light spells at any shadows that tried to get close. They stopped at the end of the tunnel where, waiting for them, was… something.

Something big.

Kamek stood there for a moment, trying to think of words to describe it, before giving up.

"Do you have any idea what to do?" he asked Mario.

Mario seemed just as unnerved as Kamek was at the sight of it. "I… I think so."

"You're the only one of us that can hurt it," Kamek said. "All I can do is keep the smaller ones at bay for as long as I can."

"Okay," Mario charged fireballs into his hands and turned to face the thing.

Kamek turned back, facing the shadows they had just passed.

"Good luck," he heard Mario say behind him.

"You too," Kamek replied.

The shadows had, by now, turned their sights on Kamek and Mario. He fended off wave after wave of shadows, picking them off with his spells before they could get too close. But soon, his comrades emerged from the darkness, their eyes blank and surrounded by a dark aura.

Kamek took a deep breath.

He shot a magic blast at the group; he managed to knock down one Magikoopa, but the rest of them pulled out their wands and shot back. He tried to block, but their blasts were stronger somehow; Kamek could only assume that the shadows were allowing their puppets to make use of their excess magic.

Kamek held out as long as he could, trying to keep the others at bay, trying to protect Mario. But, blast by blast, Kamek became more injured, weaker. His vision dimmed.

As he fell to the ground, he hoped that Mario could handle the rest alone.


	14. Chapter 14

It seemed like an eternity had passed before he finally opened his eyes again, and when he did the first thing he noticed was light.

It was blinding.

And at that moment he knew that he was still alive.

After all, he knew that whatever afterlife would take him definitely wouldn't be anything like this. Brimstone and smoke clouds, maybe, but bright light would be a bit of a stretch.

He put a hand to his forehead, groaning. He continued to stare upward, at what he realized was a bright, cloudless sky. Eventually a green blur appeared above him.

He blinked. "… Kid?"

"Ah, so you still have aliveness," Fawful said.

"Ugh… not so loud," Kamek forced himself to sit up, his aching muscles protesting all the way. He looked around, squinting against his poor vision. "What happened? Where is everyone? … and my glasses?"

Fawful handed over a pair of glasses, which Kamek put on and promptly realized were shattered beyond usefulness. "The red moustache had victory, I am assuming. When I was waking up he was carrying you and some others out of the cave."

"And you didn't attack him or anything?" Kamek asked.

"My Headgear has brokenness," Fawful said. "Mario and the others had leaving to tell the others of our successfulness. I am assuming that the airship will be arriving shortly to retrieve you."

"So they just leave me lying here in the middle of nowhere. Great."

"In case you are too stupid to be noticing, you have injury and they were unwilling to carry you around high in the sky and risk being dropping you," Fawful said, sounding exasperated.

Kamek started poking at himself, quickly confirming that, yes, he was indeed injured, although he wasn't sure how badly.

Fawful continued talking. "As I am lacking the flying ability without my Headgear, I was volunteering for watching over you. Since… since you had rescuing me from the shadows that were attacking me in my shop. So we have evenness, now! I am not owing you a thing, yes?!"

Kamek was barely paying attention. "Hn? Oh, yeah. Sure."

Fawful sat down and continued to prattle on about something, but by that point Kamek was too busy thinking about these new events to bother listening. So Mario really did it! He saved the world and they were all okay?

Even an old codger like Kamek, still alive…

Kamek started to laugh.

"Against the darkness of the universe! Against a thing older than time, Mario saves us?!" He laughed harder. "What hope do any of us have against someone who can do that?"

Fawful groaned. "Brain damage. Of  _coursing._  Now I am having to explain to the others that their precious Magikoopa has lost his mind. I have fury…"

"I haven't lost my mind, shut up," Kamek said, still chuckling.

"You are  _acting_  like someone who has lost his mind."

"I'm just a little overwhelmed, give me a minute," Kamek said.

Kamek wasn't sure, what with his awful eyesight, but it looked like Fawful rolled his eyes at him.

"Anyway, I think I am seeing the airship coming now," Fawful said.

"Oh good," Kamek adjusted his broken glasses. "I could really use an aspirin about now."

The airship arrived within a few minutes. Kamek tried to get to his feet, but fell over.

"May I remind you again that you have injury?" Fawful said.

"If you don't shut up,  _you'll_  have injury."

Kamek called his broom and was trying to get onto it when two other Magikoopas came down from the ship.

"Kamek, sir! You're awake!" said one.

"D-don't try to fly, sir, you'll hurt yourself!" said the other.

"I'll be fine," Kamek insisted, floating about a foot off the ground. "It's my triumphant return, you think I'm gonna let everyone see me being carried by my underlings?"

"Well, there's a certain dramatic effect to seeing an injured hero carried home by his friends, sir…" said the second Magikoopa.

"That's stupid. I order you to shut up and let me fly myself," Kamek said. He jerked his head in Fawful's direction. "Carry the kid or something."

The two Magikoopas looked at each other. "Uh… understood. Sir."

So they all flew back up to the airship, the two Magikoopas following behind Kamek, afraid he might fall. As they got onto the ship's deck, Kamek stumbled as he got to his feet. He leaned against his broom for support, glaring at his underlings who were rushing to assist him. They backed off. The rest of the people on deck cheered, glad to see their leader alive and mostly okay.

"Alright, alright, quiet down…," Kamek said, rubbing his temples.

It wasn't long before Bowser Jr. pushed his way through the crowd. He ran up and hugged Kamek's legs.

"Kamek! You're back!"

Kamek flinched. "Yeah… I'm back… uh, that kind of really hurts, Junior, could you maybe let go?"

Junior either didn't hear this or wasn't paying attention. "Mario said he got rid of the big shadow guy but—but but! I know he's making it up. I bet you did all the work, huh Kamek?"

Kamek laughed. "That's absolutely right."

Fawful had been looking around. He shoved one of the nearby Magikoopas. "Where is the moustache brother of red overalls?"

"Mario? He left already," the Magikoopa replied.

Junior nodded. "We didn't want him around anyway! He's a loser."

Fawful huffed. "We could have had the overpowering and destroying of him! Surely he is weakened and not expecting it!"

"Ah, shut up, kid," Kamek said. He looked back at Junior. "So we should start heading home, I should think. Your father's waiting for us."

Junior's face lit up. "I'll go tell the helmsman to get moving!"

Junior then let go of Kamek and ran off. One of the Magikoopas that was with Kamek looked at him warily.

"You're only in a hurry to gloat at Kammy."

"That goes without saying," said someone else.

"I can't just be anxious to get home?" Kamek shrugged. "You people know me too well. I ought to be worried. Well anyway, I'm going to go stumble around for a while, find the infirmary, and go lie down."

"Sir, let me help you with—" the Magikoopa shut up when Kamek glared at him again. "Er… here, just take my glasses so you won't walk into a wall…"

The Magikoopa held out his glasses, which Kamek snatched out of his hand. Replacing his broken glasses with the new pair, he hobbled away, into the ship's interior.

As Kamek went to recuperate and everyone else went about their business, the ship flew on, heading to a home its inhabitants never thought they'd see again. The sky was bright and clear, and under it lay a landscape no longer marred by dark spots. Even the world's magic field was already stabilizing, going back to the way it once was.

Kamek could barely believe it was finally over. He was glad for the pain from his injuries. They reminded him that he wasn't dreaming.

Life would finally return to normal. They were done hiding, cowering in fear, waiting for the doom that, just a day ago, had seemed so inevitable.

… now all Kamek had to do was explain the whole mess to Bowser.


End file.
